Choose your Dining: A Meal to Fit In or to Stand Out?: A Study of the Motivators for Luxury Consumption demonstrated by Michelin Dining in South Korea and the Netherlands

Purpose – In 2023, South Korea became the number one country in luxury goods consumption per capita (325 USD), signaling its importance as an upcoming luxury market. Despite an increasingly large amount of studies focusing on luxury goods consumption, this study takes on a different aspect of luxury consumption; that in hospitality establishments. Not much attention has been given to luxury consumption in hospitality yet, and this study aims to contribute to the existing research gap by focusing on the motivators for luxury consumption as demonstrated by Michelin dining. In addition, the main subject of this study is South Korea, and the Netherlands is used as a contrasting case to better understand the findings of South Korea. Design/methodology/approach – The data used in this study was gathered by an online selfadministered survey using convenience sampling, and 98 questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis. In analyzing the data, descriptive statistics, plots, and...Show morePurpose – In 2023, South Korea became the number one country in luxury goods consumption per capita (325 USD), signaling its importance as an upcoming luxury market. Despite an increasingly large amount of studies focusing on luxury goods consumption, this study takes on a different aspect of luxury consumption; that in hospitality establishments. Not much attention has been given to luxury consumption in hospitality yet, and this study aims to contribute to the existing research gap by focusing on the motivators for luxury consumption as demonstrated by Michelin dining. In addition, the main subject of this study is South Korea, and the Netherlands is used as a contrasting case to better understand the findings of South Korea. Design/methodology/approach – The data used in this study was gathered by an online selfadministered survey using convenience sampling, and 98 questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis. In analyzing the data, descriptive statistics, plots, and correlation analyses were deployed. Findings – The results showed that luxury consumption does vary significantly between South Korea and the Netherlands; Korean consumers were motivated more by the need to be unique (snob effect) than Dutch consumers were. The results also showed that the desire to show off one’s wealth though consumption (Veblen effect), and overall luxury consumption tendency in individuals play a significant role in determining Michelin dining. Furthermore, the results showed that cultural values (in this case, collectivism) played a role in determining luxury consumption motivated by the need to conform to the group (bandwagon effect), and that Dutch people show more collectivist tendencies than South Korean people.Show less

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Choose your Dining: A Meal to Fit In or to Stand Out? A Study of the Motivators for Luxury Consumption demonstrated by Michelin Dining in South Korea and the Netherlands